Natalie at Ten
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Laura Dreyfus Barney and Natalie Clifford Barney in memory of their mother, Alice Pike Barney
Accession Number
1972.181.2
Tags
About this artwork
This painting depicts Natalie Clifford Barney (1876-1972), the eldest daughter of Washington, D.C., socialite and painter Alice Pike Barney (1857-1931), who studied with the artist in Paris. Known for his realistic portraits, Carolus-Duran felt he could capture a sitter's character through his or her gestures and expression. Natalie's confident demeanor and inquisitive gaze, accentuated by her dark clothing, suggest her willful independence as a child. As an adult, Natalie hosted intellectual ga...
Art Historical Context
**Natalie at Ten** (1887) is a striking portrait by French artist Émile Auguste Carolus-D, capturing ten-year-old Natalie Clifford Barney the eldest daughter of Washington D.C., socialite and painter Alice Pike Barney. had studied under Carolus-Duran in Paris forging a personal connection that led to this intimate commission. Painted in oil, the work exemplifies the artist's mastery of realistic portraiture, a style he championed at his influential Paris academy, where he taught figures like John Singer Sargent. Carolus-Duran believed a sitter's true character shone through gestures and expre...